Religious Biases

Published: Wednesday, January 12, 2000

I must respond to the letter, "Religious Bigotry" (A-J, 1-2). The writer states that "Religion is undoubtedly the most subtle and invasive form of politics ever devised," and further writes that religious fundamentalists who are angry and armed with weapons are "the most dangerous of all living species."

Hmmm. I don't think the man who shot up Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth was a "religious fundamentalist." In fact, he was a self-described atheist. The student who shot fellow students engaged in a pre-school prayer meeting in Paducah, Kentucky, wasn't a fundamentalist. The two students involved in the Columbine shooting weren't fundamentalists. Just where are these rampaging religious folks the writer speaks of?

Our nation's founding fathers mixed religion and politics. Just read the Preamble to the Constitution. We enjoy our freedoms because of this heritage.

True, religion can be oppressive. Ask Christians in the Sudan who are imprisoned, beaten, robbed and murdered for their faith by the Islamic government.

Historically, though, atheistic governments have been and continue to be far more oppressive. Communist regimes throughout Eastern Europe and the old Soviet Union killed millions in the name of atheism. China systematically continues to oppress Christians as well as other religious groups.

I hope the letter writer will consider all of this and will also be free-thinking enough to examine the claims of Jesus Christ, instead of being manipulated by the biases of others.